The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-11-09

suddenly exclaimed:
What's that2"
OF course everybody looked at every
body else, and the visitors saw in Mrs
Starkeye's face an expression OF an
noyance almost amounting to distress.
1t was John Trennam who made the
exclamation. His comrades, Jack Duce-
man and Henry Ketlow, demanded, in
one breath:
What is it, John?"
What's the matter, old fellow"
Trennam explained, Why, that
voicel Didn't you hear it, Starkeye?
A muflled sound like the--there it is
again. Do you hear that?"
Every one had heard it this time. A
muffled voice truly. But the words
were plainly heard,
"Oh-h-h-h-hll Don't"
A woman's voice evidently. So it
seemed to all the listeners.
Mrs. Starkeye was the first to speak.
"It has come" she said to her hus-
band; and the manner, not less than
her words, told that the wailing voice
was not new to them, but was dreaded
by her, at least.
I" Starkeye," cried Duceman, spring
ing to his feet, "with your permission
well lay this ghost for you. 1 see how
it must bother you. Do you give us
leave? All! that's right. Come, boys,
let's get to the bottom of it. A parson
can't 90 ghost-hunting, but we can"
1t was arranged that Trennam should
keep watch at the west window of the
parlor, Duceman was to stealthily
station himself at the west end of the
front porch and Ketlow went to the
second-hoor room above the parlor
A little cool-headed watching they
thought would discover something in
no very long time. They were to re-
main at their posts for an hour, if
nothing was found out meanwhile, and
then reassemble in the parlors to con-
slider further steps.
The night was not dark, but it was
difficult to see much around the LEAKAGE
surrounding the parsonage. A sough-
| ing, westerly wind came fitfully through
the trees. The friends took their sta
tons and half an hour went by, while
at intervals the wailing voice was
heard. Beyond all question it was
somewhere about the west end of the
house. But where? Now it sounded
to Duceman on the porch as if it were
Just above his head, but the next time
it was heard it seemed to come from
the top of silver-leafed poplar that
stood close to the west end of the house
Duceman peered around toward the
poplar, and in his eagerness stepped
off the porch among the shrubbery.
Oh-h-h-h-h. Don'tr'
Almost directly above his head :,
Duceman thought. He was sure it was
in the poplar tree. He crept slowly
until he stood under the poplar, and
then looking intently through the
branches saw a dark form outlined
against the sky-a form upon peak of
the roof and not in the tree. Duce-
man was both elated and indignant at
his discovery.
g hate practical jokes and iokers,
especially such stupid ones as this" he
muttered, as he stole quickly and quietly
back to the porch into the house. I'll
give that fellow lesson he won't for
get" said Duceman to himself, as he
secured his ducking gun and then paid
hasty visit to Mrs. Starkeye's kitchen.
In minute more Duceman, gun in
hand, was stealing softly around the
west end of the house again. There
sat the fellow on the roof, dimly seen
against the sky. Duceman raised his
gun and fired. With loud shrek the
figure on the roof plunged forward into
the poplar tree. But the branches were
small and brittle, and the figure crashed
through them and alighted in the cen
ter of great arbor-vine. Out of this
again it rolled, sputtering, groaning and
twisting in many contortions. Duce-
man dropped his gun and sprang for
ward as the inmates of the house came
hurriedly out.
g Great heaven, Ketlow, is it you?''
exclaimed Duceman, as he reached the
writing figure on the ground.
5000! Ow, owl yes! You've killed
me! What did you shoot for? Oh-h-h
my hip! my hipl'' answering the with
ing Ketlow.
But Duceman was getting his breath
again.
ooh, it's only little charge of salt
that you've got" he said, "There was
no shot in it. It's only salt. But
what were you doing on the roof?
Was it you making that noise?"
This did not stop Ketlow's smarting,
Dut tne assurance tnat ne nad been
hurt only with salt relieved the others
of apprehension. By degrees Ketlow
explained. He had gone to the second
room, as appointed. There the wailing
voice was so distinctly heard that he
expected to put his hand upon the
offender by reaching out of the win
dow. But when he carefully raised the
sash the walls seemed to come from
the roof above his head. Casting
about then he found another window
opening on the kitchen roof, and from
this the main roof was easily reached.
Ketlow resolved to capture the waling
fellow while the others were vainly
watching. Without difficulty he got to
the peak by the poplar tree.
Yes, yes; but where was the wall
ing voice all this time you were sitting
on the peak there? Heard it right
there just as / discovered you," said
Duceman, impatiently.
"Why, | was cutting it off with my
jack-knife when you fired your old
cannon at me" replied Ketlow with
returning Indignation, at new twinge
in his hip.
Cutting what Off" they demanded
aghast.
"The voice." said Ketlow. 4" 1t was
the limb of that poplar tree rubbing